Welcoming back the 2016 champion NORAUTO

By on 01 Dec. 2017

The bar is set to be raised once again on the GC32 Racing Tour in 2018 with the return of its 2016 champion.

Last year Franck Cammas and NORAUTO powered by Team France stormed to victory on the GC32 Racing Tour and his team, once again backed by Europe’s leading car maintenance company, is hoping to repeat this success next season.

Cammas, who both leads and skippers the French America’s Cup team, is one of the world’s foremost racing sailors with an incredible track record on the ocean wave. Among his stand-out victories have been the Volvo Ocean Race in 2012, the Solitaire du Figaro in 1997 and the Route du Rhum in 2010. In the latter event he sailed the same 32m long maxi-trimaran singlehanded across the Atlantic that he had sailed with a full crew non-stop around the world on a successful Jules Verne Trophy attempt earlier that year.

Aside from winning the 2016 GC32 Racing Tour, Cammas’ success on foiling catamarans also includes the ultra-advanced C-Class, where he was twice winner of the International C Class Catamaran Championship.

During NORAUTO’s year away from the GC32 Racing Tour, the company supported Team France’s challenge for the 35th America’s Cup. The French team is now pursuing its goal of winning the 36th America’s Cup. Competing on the GC32 Racing Tour in 2018 is seen as a vital stepping stone towards that and NORAUTO is right behind them, supporting them in this objective.

While the America’s Cup is a technological challenge, where design advances can play a major part in a team’s success, sailors must also remain at the top of their game. Spending hours on the water training is good, but racing is better. For NORAUTO, supporting Franck Cammas and Team France as they sharpen their skills on the GC32 Racing Tour therefore makes complete sense.

Thibaut Derville, Managing Director of Belgium and Head of Sponsorship for NORAUTO said: “NORAUTO, the committed partner of Franck Cammas and Team France is proud to be the named boat sponsor and support their top level racing for 2018. The GC32 Racing Tour is a European circuit with events in Italy, Spain and France; established markets for NORAUTO. The employees will be there to support the team!”

Franck Cammas. Photo: Eloi Stichelbaut / Norauto

Franck Cammas commented: “Trust was established very quickly with NORAUTO. They understand our sport, the intensity and responsiveness needed to be successful. As promised, NORAUTO continues by our side. I am delighted – the GC32 Racing Tour is a circuit on which we have many great memories and one that is of great sports interest. 2018 will be a transitional season for the America’s Cup teams because the next boats will not be launched until 2019. Ten days ago the new monohull design with foils gives you an idea of how it could really fly like a multihull. We believe it is important that we continue to foil. The GC32 season makes perfect sense. The format of the races, and the courses in particular, are also close to what you find on the Cup and I hope that our commitment will inspire even more international teams to join us and in particular sailors who like us, share the ambition of the America’s Cup.”

The GC32 Racing Tour 2018 once again offers an attractive programm: After the opening GC32 Class Championship at the end of May on Italy’s Lake Garda, a paradise for foiling boats, the circuit moves on to the crystal-clear waters of Sardinia in June, before being part of the famous Copa del Rey MAPFRE multi-class regatta held annually in Palma de Mallorca at the beginning of August. Two further events later in the year, including one in France, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Christian Scherrer, manager of the GC32 Racing Tour added: “We are thrilled to welcome Franck Cammas and NORAUTO back to the GC32 Racing Tour. Our 2016 champions will surely add spice to the upcoming season and will be one of the teams to beat.”